Festen

Larry Bryggman, Michael Hayden, Ali MacGraw and Julianna Margulies star in the Almeida Theatre production of Festen, the hugely successful London play about a family with a dark secret. Rufus Norris directs this dramatization by David Eldridge from the Danish 1998 film.

A beloved patriarch, surrounded by his wife, his daughter, his two sons, and a host of family and friends, is celebrating his 60th birthday at his country home. This promises to be a very special occasion, but as the evening progresses, the man’s eldest son, Christian, feels compelled to break the silence surrounding a family secret. Standing to propose a toast, he offers his father — much to the delight of the guests — an amusing yet simple choice. And so the games begin. Revelations and accusations tumble across the dinner table, paving the way for a celebration that no one will ever forget.